Pete Buttigieg is facing his biggest test yet

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has handled a number of transportation crises since assuming the role, is facing his biggest challenge yet with the deadly collapse of a major bridge in Baltimore.

Almost immediately after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Buttigieg was again thrust into the spotlight as he was forced to begin marshaling his agency’s resources to address the disaster. Buttigieg was soon on the phone with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and, shortly thereafter, on his way to the site to begin coordinating the federal response.

“The path to normalcy will not be easy, it will not be quick, it will not be inexpensive, but we will rebuild together,” Buttigieg told reporters on Tuesday, flanked by Moore, local officials and local lawmakers.

One day later, he called on both Democrats and Republicans to “stand together” to approve a funding package to aid the recovery and rebuilding operation. And on Thursday, Buttigieg announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) would immediately make $60 million in emergency federal funds available for the initial stages of that effort.

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Since Buttigieg was first alerted to the accident, a DOT spokesperson said the secretary has since been “working around the clock” with federal, state and local officials, while also coordinating with shippers, truckers, port workers and port operators, all of whom have been impacted by what happened.

The quick response and actions taken by Buttigieg could ultimately lay the groundwork for a recovery effort that may take years, likely stretching past his tenure at the agency, according to former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who served during the Obama administration.

“No question about it: his…